Hinged brace



July 18, 1950 F. E. MASI-:K 2,515,352

HINGED BRACE Filed June l5, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /NVEA/TOR By E E. MASEK F. E. MASEK HINGED BRACE July 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1947 62 5o a/ 3/ X] /A/l/EA/ To@ F.' E. MASEK Arron/var Patented July 18, 1950 v HINGED BRACE Fred E. Masek, Chatham, N. J., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories,

Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporationv of New York Application June is, 1947, serial No. 754,533

Claims.

This invention relates to hinged braces for use in connection with articles such as furniture, shelves, cabinet lids and ladders.

An object of this invention is to provide a folding brace that will automatically lock itself to prevent fold-up when it is fully unfolded.

Another object of this invention is to provide a brace of substantial strength to safely support a considerable longitudinal thrust when it is locked in the fully unfolded condition.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bracein which the latch that locks the brace when fully unfolded must be released manually to permit collapse or foldup.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brace in. which the mechanical forces, in effect when the brace is fully unfolded and it is supporting a load, are in a direction to assist in holding the brace safely extended.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a brace which is inexpensive, simple in construction and effective in use and which is applicable to hinged shelves, tables with folding legs, folding step-ladders, and trunks, cabinets or boxes with hinged lids and other uses where two members are hinged together in a manner to permit unfolding into a spread relation or folded up into a collapsed relation.

v Other objects will become apparent during the course of the following description and in the appended claims.

The preferred embodiment of this invention as illustrated in the drawings is a brace which consists of two arms pivotedtogether and having hinged brackets at the,v outer ends of the two 4.arms for attaching the brace to the articles to which the brace is to be applied. A stop is provided on one of the arms which prevents the two arms unfolding about their common pivot beyond a substantially parallel relation when extended. A spring pressed latch is also provided ,on this arm. An end of the other arm of the Abrace extends beyond the common pivot point 2 the rotation of either arm about their common pivot until the latch is operated by hand.

When the brace has been fully unfolded to its extended condition with the projecting cam end of the second arm pressing against the stop on the first arm, the forces acting between the outer ends of the arms result in a force operating on the common pivot of the two arms of the brace which is in a direction urging the extended end of the second arm more firmly against the stop on the first arm. This force actst'o assist in holding the brace safely extended so that increase of load on the brace always tends to urge it to stay extended and to prevent collapse.

This embodiment of the invention is an arrangement of elements thatprovides a strong and safe brace capable of supporting a considerable thrust lengthwise between its supporting brackets when fully unfolded and locked by the latch.

Although the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawings is shown attached to a cabinet and the hinged lid of the cabinet, its use is not limited to this application. The device also may be applied to hinged step-ladders, hinged shelves, and various other articles that have two members hinged together in a manner that permits folding and unfolding of the members, and that require a locking brace to safely hold them in an unfolded relation.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the detailed description that kfollows when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a portion of a cabinet and its lid in partial section showing the lid closed and the -brace folded.

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the lid and the top portion of the cabinet showing the cabinet lid raised part way with the brace nearing its extended condition with its cam making contact with the latch;

Fig. 3 is a similar side elevation of a portion of the lid and .a portion of the cabinet showing the lid raised and the brace fully extended and locked in this condition by the latch;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a partial section of a cabinet and its lid showing the cabinet lid raised and the brace in its fully extended condition with the latch locking it in this condition;

and

Fig. 5 is a detail drawing of the stop bar of the brace.

With reference to the drawings, the application and the character of the components of the 3 preferred form of brace in accordance with this invention are shown. In Fig. 1 is shown a plan View of a part of a cabinet IIIJ and a part of the lid IUE! thereof. The brace is attached to the cabinet IBD by bracket I which is attached to the cabinet by screws, and is shown in folded condition. The `brace is attached to the lid of the cabinet' IBI] by bracket 20 Which is Iattached to the lid by screws. Arms 30, 4D of the brace are pivoted together with pintle 3|.

by pintle I I. Arm 40 is shown partly in 'section and has a U-shaped or channel type 'cross-sectionV and is pivoted to bracket'20by. pintlefl; Arm'L has a stop 8E) fastened to it byfri-vts8I-',"82,-

shown in detail in Fig. 5. .Arm-4I] also carries a U-shaped latch 60 hinged thereon by pintle 50.

Latch 6,6 is pressed against stop 8D byfawirev spring 10 which has one end bent at right angles to its shank With `'this "end insertedin a` holefG I in one side'of latch-66. Wireispring Y'Ifis spring A'steel and is wrappedfaroundfpintlefand' its i other endf62presses 'against the'bottom 63'of the channel in :the U eshapedfarml). in'fcoinpr-'ession "between itsendsfat- 6 I', -'-62\"wh"e'n f in V'the rposition shownA in Fig. f1 thus-'tending -to `press rlatch 69 against rstopr D; f' lArm Sfextends beycnd'pivot ^3I andhas Aa fcameshaped? end'f32.

attachedfby'hinge 90. i' Lid" I-UIJisshoWnopenedfto arr angle Vamproa'cl'iing the'flimiting-anglepermitted'by thebra'ce when' fully unfolded.'` The' cam end 32 of farm 3`0is shown incontalct'withflatch "contact with stopf' against' ithe pressure'fof -springfd Pressurefexert'ed Aagainst 'ar'mvfby .external force or :by raisingmlidY 100 further Ithan VVshown in 'Figiy 2 will fcause' carni-3210 ',pu'shflatch 6U aside further and permit the two armsr30,.'.,

4i! to align `thif-mselves 'in substantially 'parallel relation "as shownn fFigB; When farms"=30;- 40 rbecome' almostY parallel, `c`am32 'releases'ispring `'pnessed' latch" 6 which'frestores itself' rinto'iconarnrt.- V)In ithisxrelation 'offel'ements faceff33'of arm (Sil strike's'stop BilA to'fprevent'rotation offarms 38; zii'about'pintle"3lfinoneF direction of rota- 'tion and'la'tchf prevents rotating actionoff'arms 30, t0 about pintle 3| .inithe"other-"direction Thus the brace. is fsecurelyflockedfin 'itsextended condition.

It 'will be seen' f'by lreference-Itolines AA; BB, and CC inFigfS `thatl'pivot pdintor pintle 3I r lies to ones'ide ot'line AAfwhicnisdrawnbetween centers of pivot -p'oin'ts fI 9,."2`Ilaltthe li'oite lends of the two `arms 3D3-Till.Thereforeffwheniforce, for example, byftheweiglhtofthe cabinet lid `I 00, ris exerted longitudinally alongifarmffl) 'of the -fuliy extendedbrace 'in a nirecti'on'fshownpy line 'BB there will also be forceial'ong'line'CCI 'and a component of these two 'forces will act in'adirection tourge face 33 of`arm`30"-m'oreirmly 'against stop-8llffand1'thegreater the Weight of the cabinetlid'the greaterrwillbe this force tendm fonly,A it is;I oitcoursa: understood :that vvarious 75 modications may be made in the details of con- Arm 3Uisl a bar type of arm and is pivoted to bracketlll Spring FH) fis Y struction Without departing from the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A brace for the cover of a cabinet compris- 5 ing a bracket for fixation to the cabinet, an arm pivoted at one end on said bracket, a U-shaped latch-Imemberpivoted onsaid arm adjacent the opposite end thereof, astop .element carried by said arm for limiting the angular movement of 10' said U-shaped member in one direction, `a spring for resiliently holding said U-shaped member 4-a'gainst said stop, a bracket for fixation to the fcover oftheV cabinet,l another arm having one of Af-itsen'dsfpivotedf'to the last mentioned bracket lilandv its ."Othe'rfen'd' to the free end of the rstmentioned arm, and ,a cam formed of the secondmentioned arm' for operating said U-shaped .lat-ching member against the tension of said spring to cause the automatic movement of said inember` AforfengagingV y:said `cam upon the pivotal l-rnovernentof the cover :into theopen position for locking the latterin that position.

l 2. metallic u:folding nor hingedbrace compris- -ingwa .mounting bracket, -anf yarm formed in :a Ushaped cross-section-With two :parallelmprojecting prongfextensionsat each end, `Said arm being.pivotally attachedl or hingedto said bracket f at- -a Y,'point =substantially vat the center ofthe prongs at one fiend yoi f'saidmarm, a -secondarm formed :off-a solid bar with -a later'al projection on one side :near one fend fthereoisaid projection v"beinginserte'cl loetweenet-he. projecti-ngfprongs at the opposite f end# of. said iirstt arm. and =pivota1ly attached? or .hinged :theretofby "a fpintl'e' Ysubstantiallyfat thev vcenters foiesai'd prongs 'and' saidi pro- .jectionj a' second-niounting fbracket'l'pivotally lat- Ytanned or :hingedtofsa'idf` second arm atfcitsfopposite end, a U-shaped springepressedfl'atch'fbridgring? andpivotally 'attached 'to fsaid'iirstvarm at a `pointiineartl1e"`s'a'id fopp'osite fend ofsaidiirst arm,"a bar; stop E*or* li'ig'moiitedr `transversely across thenarrowl'face A'of'sa'id'rst arm ata-point fbetween .the'F-Ushapedflatch-Land "thel 'pivtal attftachmentfpointoisaid '-iirst and second yarms to 45 'prevent said rs't .and second armsunfolding be- Iyondeitended'p'arallel relation to L1each other and to prevent said lla'tf'zli beingv `rotated "by its'fs'pring beyond a'positionsubstantiany' 'at' right V*angles vwith saidiir'st` arm, and `a v4cain-'Shaped end on said secondv arm extending beyond the/"pi'votal pointf'cf attachment lof said-'first to 'said `second arms' to engage and 'rotate fsaid latch 'away from contact Withs'aidliigftvhen\said''lrst and. 'second `a'rnis"are V\-un'fol`dei into "parallel alignment,l said lat'ch" spring causing-said latch Ito y-ro`t'a`.te"y:ver the' cam-shaped fend'fof'saidlisecond arm' "after both 'said .'armsfare extended to' afsubstantially parallel relationl therebyz locking fs'aid arms' in extended :parallel I: relation -I tofprevent-'collapse' or -foldup-otsaidbrace.

. 43. A .jointed'brace'comprising ltwofarfm sections, ythe first armfsect-ion :halving a `lateral .projection .near one end and pivotedrtocnev-end ofthe :second arm sectionat a 'poi-nt fon-saidclateral projection for folding ^one arm upon fthe .otlier,u a pivotally attached. mountingfbracketf. at :the outerf -or` free ends .of each -armsectionya Vcam-shaped 4endf'oi the iirst arm section..projecting `beyond fthe-pivot point. of attachment-ot thef-tWo-arm sections, a stopmember acrosscneedge ofsaid second arm f section -but near the-point of `ilivotfofsaid first andsecond -arms to prevent. unfolding saidarms ,-=beyond a substantiallyparallel relationwhenextended and a spring-pressed latch pivoted to the second arm section at a point between said stop member and mounting bracket end of said first arm section but positioned to be pressed against said stop member and substantially at right angles to said rst bar member and having a lateral portion in the path of said cam-shaped end of said second arm section, said cam-shaped end of said rst arm section shaped and positioned to cause it to rotate said latch away from engagement with said stop member when said brace is unfolding but permitting said latch to restore itself to a position at rest against said stop member but over said cam end of said rst arm section after the said two arm sections are unfolded fully to an extended substantially parallel relation to prevent collapse or foldup of said brace.

4. A folding brace comprising a first elongated arm member, a second elongated arm member having a lateral projection near one end, two mounting members, one of said mounting members being pivoted at one end of said rst arm member, the other of said mounting members being pivoted on said second arm member at the end opposite the lateral projection end thereof, said rst and second arm members being adjan cent and joined about a common pivot near the center of said lateral projection on said second cam member and near the end of said iirst arm member opposite the mounting bracket end, said second arm member having a cam-shaped end portion extending beyond said common pivot point, a stop member across the narrow face of said first arm member shaped and positioned to prevent the extending end portion of said second arm member rotating about said common pivot to unfold beyond a position extending in substantially parallel relation to said first arm member, a latch member pivotally attached to said first arm member adjacent to said stop member between said stop member and the mounting end of said iirst arm member and having a protrusion in the path of said cam-shaped end portion of said second arm member When said second arm member is unfolding about said common pivot, and a spring member positioned to resiliently hold said latch member in contact with said stop member, said cam-shaped end portion of said second arm member shaped and positioned to rotate said latch member away from engagement with said stop member while said brace is approaching a fully unfolded condition, said spring member causing said protru- 6 sion of said latch member to position itselfl over said cam-shaped end portion of said second arm member when said brace is fully unfolded to a position in which said first arm member and said second arm member are extended into substantially parallel relation to prevent collapse or fold-up of said brace.

5. A brace comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to lie in substantially parallel relation when the brace is either collapsed or fully exn tended, the pivotal connection being near the lower end of the upper link and at a point near the center of a lateral projection which is near the upper end of the lower link, said links being adapted at their outer ends for pivotal connection to the parts to be braced, the upper link having a stop on one edge near its lower end adapted to prevent rotation of the two links about their common pivot beyond substantially parallel relation when unfolding, a spring pressed latch pivoted on said upper link near the lower end thereof, and above said stop and normally pressing against said stop, and a cam-shaped end extending above the common pivot point on the upper end of the lower link adapted to engage a lateral projection on said latch and to rotate said latch away from contact with said stop when said brace approaches its fully unfolded condition and to allow said latch to automatically resume a position against said stop with its lateral projection overriding the extending end of said lower link to lock the two links in substantially parallel extended relation when said brace is fully unfolded and prevent collapse or foldup of said brace.

FRED E. MASEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 997,267 Buhler July 11, 1911 1,136,444 Schubert Apr. 20, 1915 1,187,040 Capps June 13, 1916 1,331,556 Blood Feb. 24, 1920 2,212,977 DeBoer et al Aug. 27, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,345 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1911 

